anglumea.com - YouTube is currently facing a new challenge due to the massive influx of low quality artificial intelligence based video content, commonly referred to as AI slop. This type of content is increasingly dominating the world’s largest video platform and has even begun to influence algorithmic recommendations for new users.
A recent study conducted by video editing company Kapwing revealed that more than 20 percent of videos recommended by YouTube to newly created user accounts fall into the category of AI slop. This content is typically produced at scale using AI tools, with little to no quality curation, and is generally created solely to attract clicks and viewer attention.
AI slop is characterized by absurd visuals, illogical or incoherent storylines, repetitive structures, and a lack of meaningful messages or informational value. Many of these videos are intentionally produced in large quantities because they are inexpensive, quick to create, and have a high likelihood of being favored by YouTube’s recommendation algorithm.
Kapwing Research: Hundreds of Channels, Billions of Views
In its research, Kapwing analyzed approximately 15,000 of the most popular YouTube channels worldwide, consisting of the top 100 channels in each country. The findings revealed at least 278 channels whose content consists almost entirely of AI slop.
Kapwing also created a new YouTube account to observe how the algorithm treats first time users. Out of the first 500 videos shown on the homepage, 104 videos, or roughly 20 percent, were categorized as AI slop. More concerning still, one third of these videos fell into the category known as brainrot.
The term brainrot refers to video content that is extremely absurd, repetitive, and nearly meaningless, yet deliberately designed to keep viewers watching. Such content is considered potentially harmful to focus, cognitive engagement, and digital consumption habits, particularly among children and teenagers.
Overall, these hundreds of AI slop channels have accumulated more than 63 billion views and approximately 221 million subscribers worldwide. From an economic perspective, Kapwing estimates that AI slop content generates around 117 million US dollars in advertising revenue per year, equivalent to roughly 1.9 trillion rupiah.
The Most Popular and Profitable AI Slop Channels
One of the AI slop channels most prominently highlighted in Kapwing’s report is Bandar Apna Dost from India. This channel has amassed approximately 2.4 billion views by featuring absurd storylines, such as monkey headed characters with human bodies, Hulk like figures, and bizarre battle scenes involving demons or tomato shaped helicopters.
With its extraordinary view count, Bandar Apna Dost is estimated to generate the highest advertising revenue among AI slop channels, at around 4.25 million US dollars per year, or approximately 71.2 billion rupiah.
In South Korea, the channel Three Minutes Wisdom accounts for nearly a quarter of all AI slop views in the country, with approximately 2.02 billion views. Its advertising revenue is estimated at around 4.03 million US dollars per year. Meanwhile, the Singapore based channel Pouty Frenchie, which targets children with videos of a bulldog dog adventuring in fantasy worlds, is estimated to generate nearly 4 million US dollars annually.
Why Does AI Slop Go Viral So Easily?
Researchers suggest that the popularity of AI slop is closely tied to its ease of consumption and its strong alignment with social media algorithm mechanics. Rohini Lakshané, a researcher specializing in technology issues and digital rights, notes that AI slop content does not require context or deep understanding, making it easily digestible by anyone within a short time.
In addition, AI slop has evolved into a new form of industry. Technology journalist Max Read has reported the existence of large communities on platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and Discord, where members share guides and strategies for creating viral AI videos. Many creators come from middle income countries such as India, Nigeria, Brazil, Kenya, Vietnam, and Indonesia, where YouTube revenue is considered far more attractive than local wages.
YouTube’s Response about this Phenomenon
In response to this phenomenon, YouTube has stated that AI is merely a tool. It can be used to create both high quality content and low quality content such as AI slop. YouTube has emphasized its continued commitment to delivering relevant and high quality content to users.
YouTube also stressed that videos violating community guidelines will still be removed, regardless of whether they are created by humans or generated using AI. This statement was conveyed by YouTube as reported by The Guardian and published on Kapwing’s official website.
The AI slop phenomenon serves as a reminder that advances in AI technology bring not only significant opportunities but also serious challenges, particularly in maintaining the quality of digital ecosystems and user experience on global platforms like YouTube.
Conclusion
The rise of AI slop on YouTube illustrates how rapidly scalable technology can reshape content ecosystems in unexpected ways. While AI tools lower barriers to creation and open new economic opportunities, they also expose weaknesses in recommendation systems that prioritize engagement over substance. Research findings show that AI slop is no longer marginal, but a major force influencing what millions of users see and consume every day. Addressing this challenge will require balanced efforts from platforms, creators, and policymakers to ensure that innovation enhances, rather than erodes, the quality and integrity of digital spaces.
